Breaking Down the 2016 Recruiting Board

In Chris Holtmann’s first offseason as the head coach of the Bulldogs, Butler has been very active on the recruiting trails. Over the past six months, Holtmann has received three commitments and garnered strong relationships with various highly rated recruits. With the departures of two All-BIGEAST players in Roosevelt Jones and Kellen Dunham set to take place next spring, the 2016 recruiting class will be vital for the Bulldogs’ success in the coming years.

We take a look at who is leaving, who will be new, and who the staff is recruiting to be Bulldogs in 2016.


Who Will Be Gone:

Kellen Dunham
6’6″ Guard
2014-15 First Team BIGEAST

Dunham will graduate as one of the most prolific scorers in Butler history. Kelan Martin will then have the opportunity to score at a very high rate in 2016.

Roosevelt Jones
6’4″ Guard/Forward
2014-15 Second Team BIGEAST

Jones is known as one of the most versatile players in college basketball. His replacement in the starting lineup is likely to be George Washington transfer Kethan Savage.

Austin Etherington
6’6″ Forward

Etherington provides toughness and a good practice body for the Dawgs, but Butler shouldn’t struggle to replace his on-court impact.

Jordan Gathers
6’3″ Guard

Gathers, a St. Bonaventure grad transfer, will contribute to the backcourt this season. Guard depth is an obvious need in the 2016 class.


Who Will Be New:

Kethan Savage
6’3″ Guard
George Washington transfer – 1 year of eligibility remaining

Savage is a slashing guard with very good athleticism. Although not a great shooter, Savage has a well-built frame that allows him to finish well around the rim. He appears to be a likely starter in 2016.


Recruiting Need for 2016: Point Guard

Tyler Lewis will be a senior by the time the 2016 class enrolls, and he is currently the only true point guard on the roster.

The Candidates:

CJ Walker
6’0″ 180 lbs.
Arsenal Tech HS | Indianapolis, IN
Notable Offers: Butler, Florida State, Wichita State, Xavier, Pittsburgh, Missouri, Illinois

Walker announced in late-March that he would be opening his recruitment up after previously committing to Purdue. He exploded onto the EYBL Spring AAU Circuit picking up many high major offers and just recently named his top seven schools (listed above). Walker has announced that he will be unofficially visiting Xavier on June 7th followed by an official visit to Butler on the weekend of June 26th.

Xavier Simpson
5’11” 175 lbs.
Lima Senior HS | Lima, OH
Notable Offers: Xavier, Iowa State, Purdue, Illinois, Iowa, Butler, Texas Tech

Simpson is another star point guard on the EYBL Circuit and has solidified himself as one of the better point guards in the 2016 class. He has visited Xavier’s campus recently, and they appear to be at the top of his list. Iowa State, Illinois, Iowa, and Purdue have also come on strong. At this point, Simpson seems unlikely for Butler.

Bryce Aiken
6’0″ 185 lbs.
St. Patrick School | Elizabeth, NJ
Notable Offers: Illinois, Seton Hall, Harvard, Rutgers, Miami (FL), Michigan (interest only), Stanford (interest only), Butler

Aiken is a high-IQ lead guard that competes hard on both ends of the floor. Aiken has noted that strong academics are a priority for him. Although Butler offered several weeks ago, there has not been much public connection between the two sides.

Howard Washington
6’2″ 173 lbs.
Montverde Academy | Buffalo, NY
Notable Offers: Wake Forest, Xavier, Virginia Tech, Boston College, Syracuse (interest only), Butler (interest only)

After showing interest nearly 18 months ago, Butler has resumed serious interest in Washington this spring. Scout.com recently mentioned “Wake Forest, Butler, and Xavier are all turning up the heat on Washington.” The 6’2″ guard played with one of the top players in the country at Montverde, Ben Simmons.

Trevor Anderson
6’1″ 165 lbs.
Stevens Point HS | Stevens Point, WI
Notable Interest: Wisconsin, Creighton, Butler, Indiana, Iowa State, Virginia

Butler watched Anderson multiple times this spring, and Anderson reportedly planned to take a visit to Butler about a month ago. He has no high major offers to this point, but recruiting analysts tend to like his game. If he continues to develop, a Wisconsin offer would likely turn the Badgers into a favorite.

Recruiting Need for 2016: Center

The Bulldog frontcourt is a pretty young group. Incoming freshman center Nate Fowler is currently a question mark due to previous injuries, and Tyler Wideman has yet to prove himself as a BIGEAST starting center. With Jackson Davis being more of a natural 4, Butler is targeting several prospects with great size to solidify the center position.

The Candidates:

Joey Brunk
6’10” 230 lbs.
Southport HS | Indianapolis, IN
Notable Offers: Butler, Michigan State, Oklahoma, Xavier, Indiana, Iowa, Illinois, Purdue, Northwestern, Ole Miss

Brunk is one of the best big men in the Midwest. Chris Holtmann offered Brunk shortly after he was named interim head coach, and Brunk has remained a top target ever since. Butler has been rumored to be picking up some steam with him and will host the Indy native for an official visit in the coming weeks. Brunk used his first official visit to Oklahoma earlier in May.

Kyle Washington
6’9″ 225 lbs.
North Carolina State Transfer – Two Years of Eligibility Remaining
Notable Offers: Arizona State, Butler, Cincinnati, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas, Marquette, Providence, West Virginia, Xavier

Washington averaged 6.8 points and 4.1 rebounds in his sophomore season at NC State. He will have to sit out a year then will have two years of eligibility remaining beginning in 2016. Butler’s connection stems from point guard Tyler Lewis who played with Washington at NC State in 2013-14. Washington is a long and athletic big who could really develop in his year of sitting out. With many well-respected programs on his list, it should be interesting to see how much Lewis is able to help out in “recruiting” Washington to be a Bulldog.

Recruiting Need For 2016: Shooting Wing

Although Kelan Martin has shown potential to be an adequate replacement of Kellen Dunham’s wing scoring, Martin is not a superb outside shooter. Butler will need another wing who can hit outside shots.

The Candidates:

Seth Towns
6’7″ 200 lbs.
Northland HS | Columbus, OH
Notable Offers: Iowa, Harvard, Ohio State, Butler, Michigan, Purdue, Xavier, Virginia Tech, Dayton, UCLA (interest only), Stanford (interest only)

Towns was once considered a heavy Michigan lean. However, the Wolverines filled their spots forcing Towns to look in a different direction. Towns is a sharp-shooting, long wing who has drawn some Gordon Hayward comparisons. His recruitment has been pretty quiet, however it seems as if Butler is in a pretty good position to land a visit in the future.

Jarron Cumberand
6’4″ 215 lbs.
Wilmington HS | Wilmington, OH
Notable Offers: Purdue, Xavier, West Virginia, Butler, Cincinnati, Florida State, Michigan (interest only), Indiana (interest only), Texas (interest only)

Cumberland has a game that resembles current Xavier forward Trevon Bluiett. Cumberland is a physical scorer who can shoot, drive, and post up a smaller defender. He visited the Butler campus this past winter. However, he seems to be looking for a bigger campus, and Purdue is often mentioned as being very strong for Cumberland.

Lindy Waters
6’5″ 180 lbs.
Norman North HS | Norman, OK
Notable Offers: Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Iowa State, Butler, Clemson, Harvard, Yale

Waters is a natural two-guard who scores well at all three levels of the floor. Butler offered several weeks ago, but hometown Oklahoma offered several days later. Waters’ father also works at the university.

Recruiting Need For 2016: Versatility

Whether a combo guard or a forward with length, versatility will be important in this class.

The Candidates:

Eron Gordon
6’2″ 180 lbs.
Cathedral HS | Indianapolis, IN
Notable Offers: Butler, Notre Dame, Arizona State, Indiana, Purdue, Nebraska, Auburn

Gordon was thought of as a strong Indiana lean as his two older brothers played for the Hoosiers. But over the past year, Gordon has made it pretty clear that he will likely go in a different direction. He recently named his three leaders as Butler, Arizona State, and Notre Dame. Gordon is a scoring combo guard whose local appeal would be big for the Bulldogs.

Quentin Goodin
6’4″ 185 lbs.
Taylor County HS | Cambellsville, KY
Notable Offers: Louisville, Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, Xavier, Butler, Indiana, Marquette, Purdue

Goodin was offered on a visit to Butler this spring. A strong and powerful guard, Goodin can play both backcourt spots and has the potential to end up as a 5-star prospect. Current Bulldog and Louisville native Kelan Martin is friends with Goodin, who is expected to cut his list soon.

Robert Baker, Jr.
6’9″ 185 lbs.
The Walker School | Marietta, GA
Notable Offers: Georgia, Georgia Tech, Clemson, Vanderbilt, Texas A&M, Auburn, Oklahoma State, Miami (FL), USC, Butler, Davidson, Yale, Harvard, Rice, Penn

Baker is a long and springy wing forward oozing with potential. He has a similar game and build to former Butler target Matthew Moyer. Baker’s length and athleticism should allow him to become a very versatile defender in college similar to Kameron Woods. There has not been a lot of connection between Butler and Baker, but it appears he is still early on in his recruitment.

Keyshawn Woods
6’3″ 182 lbs.
Charlotte Transfer – Three Years of Eligibility Remaining
Notable Offers: South Carolina, Creighton, Butler, St. Joseph’s, VCU, Auburn

Woods led Conference USA in three-point shooting while averaging just over eight point per game during his freshman year at Charlotte. He has visited South Carolina and told ESPN that Creighton, Butler, St. Joseph’s, and VCU are in line for visits. Woods, who will be eligible in 2016, could be a sharp-shooting combo guard for the Bulldogs.

 

Photo Credit (Joey Brunk): InsideTheHall

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